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Tuesday, November 1, 2011

While this particular post may not be of the highest interest to many readers since it contains the list of names of passengers on the Royal Charter, it was the most difficult to transcribe. I'm not just talking about making mistakes when transcribing names (and I'm sure I did so please forgive them!), but it was incredibly difficult to put the names with the people that died...or didn't die. I don't say "saved" in this instance, because some were fortunate enough to disembark in Cork, Ireland a few hours before the ship was struck by the hurricane force winds that caused the wreck.

When you read someone's name in a list like this, it can by all means bring about emotion in the reader. When this far detached from the time of the tragedy, however, they are just names to most. Many will just scan the list (names, names, names, yep, nothing to see here), and proceed to the rest of the article at the end which is fine, but when you are forced to transcribe it, you really do feel the impact of each name. You see their children and you see who were fortunate enough to escape such a horrible fate. You see the names of the "saved" mixed right in next to those that perished and it really is quite the emotional contrast.

Even knowing that my 3rd great grandfather was on board this ship, as I was typing along and came across his name it caused me to pause my typing. As if somehow this was shocking defies any sort of explanation. To see his name sandwiched between two others that were saved (although understanding this did not effect his chances of survival) is also stunning. I was privileged about a month ago to see my grandfather's name between the "saved" about a month ago, when Chris Holden emailed me the image as I purchased a copy of his book, "Life and Death on the Royal Charter" which I am currently reading. Thank you, Chris, for everything!

One of these days I will compare the list derived from this article with other ships lists and try to see how accurate it truly is. You can see if you read the list/article that even the article wasn't completely certain of the spelling of some of the names. I want to see if those that boarded the ship at it's last stop were included in this list or whether it was the list from its departure in Australia. So much still to do. I'll certainly be using the site "Index to Outward Passengers to Interstate, U.K. and Foreign Ports, 1852-1908" which was shared with me by Aillin from "Australian Genealogy Journeys" (thanks, Aillin!) after my first post in this series. Perhaps it's a good goal for the next anniversary.

Until my next (and most likely last) post on this series, here is the final part of the very long article from the January 9, 1860 edition of the South Australian Advertiser:

"By the arrival of a vessel from Australia about a fortnight after the wreck, Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, and Co. obtained the following full list of the passengers who sailed by the Royal Charter. It will be observed that the survivors are specially noted in the list: -

The scene of the wreck is Moelfra, about nine miles from Beaumaris, and three or four miles from where the Rothsay Castle was lost many years ago. Red Wharf Bay is situated about three miles to the westward of Puffin Island, Menai Straits, and six or seven miles to the north-west of Beaumaris. With the exception of the bay, which is very sandy and shallow, the coast is rocky and bold.

Just on the eve of the dreadful disaster the passengers, believing their voyage at an end, had presented Captain Taylor with a piece of plate in testimony of their appreciation of his ability and kindness. On the day of the wreck the captain's wife and his two daughters were awaiting him on the North Landing Stage at Liverpool.

It will be readily imagined that the wreck of the Royal charter was a topic impressively dwelt upon from many a pulpit on the following Sunday. Not the least impressive discourse which referred to it was that of the Rev. Mr. Binney, who, had his wife not desired to make the journey overland, might possibly have sailed for England in the ill-fated ship. A statement was lately published to the effect that Mr. Binney had, at one time, positively determined to take his passage in the Royal Charter, and had been prevented by the merest accident from doing so. At a meeting, however, of his friends and congregation, held some evenings ago at the London Tavern for the purpose of giving him a 'welcome home,' Mr. Binney said: - 'The fact was, that he had a desire to return by Cap Horn; but Mrs. Binney had decided three months previous to their return, to come overland. If, however, they had not decided to come overland, they would most probably have come by the Royal Charter, as she lay in Melbourne at the time.'"

Interesting to note that the servants, women and children aren't listed by name, but not at all surprising for the time.